Brentford stay on top

TWO GOALS in four minutes midway through the second half gave Brentford their sixth win on the trot and kept them on top of Division Two.

The inspired spell, with goals from Ivar Ingimarsson and Jason Price, turned the game; Reading had been 1-0 up and the visitors looked likely to lose their top spot. Ultimately it was a deserved victory, Brentford reaping the rewards of an attacking policy away from home.

Brentford started as though The Madejski Stadium was a home from home. Their flowing attack lacked a finishing touch however; both Ijah Anderson and Gavin Mahon shot straight at Phil Whitehead. But the goalkeeper had to spread himself well to deny a charging Lloyd Owusu.

Reading had returned to form with two away wins after losing their precious home match against Swindon. Top-scorer Jamie Cureton, with three goals in his last two games, almost scored again with a left-foot shot that nearly curled into the far corner.

Having weathered a shaky opening, Reading began to impose, but continued to let themselves down with a misplaced final ball. James Harper found himself with a good opening but miscued his shot.

But Brentford's admirable attacking philosophy meant they were always dangerous on the break and they finished the first half in the ascendancy. Three good chances fell to Ben Burgess but he put all three over the bar, two with his feet, the other with his head.

The game needed a goal and it came shortly after half time in controversial circumstances as Darren Powell was penalised for elbowing Cureton. From the stands it looked an innocuous challenge but Martin Butler stepped up to score his first goal of the season from the spot.

When Owusu fell at the other end, in a tangle with Adi Viveash, it looked like the penalty decisions would even themselves out; instead Owusu was booked for diving.

But Brentford drew level when Burgess made amends for his first-half misses; a splendid turn set up Ingimarsson to power in his third goal of the season. And within four minutes, Burgess's persistence in twice having shots cleared off the line created an opening for Price to seal the points.